With the presidential primaries just six months away, Clinton continues
to lead Obama and Edwards, but Republicans aren't even close to picking
a favorite. Also, Fed Chair Ben Bernanke on sub-prime mortgage rates,
and Russia escalates the diplomatic confrontation with Britain.

FROM THIS EPISODE

With the presidential primaries just six months away, Clinton continues
to lead Obama and Edwards, but Republicans aren't even close to picking
a favorite. We talk about candidates, issues and the prospects for
change between now and January of next year. Also, Fed Chair Ben
Bernanke on sub-prime mortgage rates and, on Reporter's Notebook, after
Britain expelled four Russian diplomats, Russia has responded in kind,
saying it's now "impossible" to cooperate against terror.

On Federal Reserve Chairman's Ben Bernanke's second day of testimony before a committee of Congress, he had more to say about the problem of sub-prime mortgages. The Fed has been criticized for lax oversight. Peter Coy is Economics Editor for BusinessWeek magazine.

With six months left until primary voters go to the polls, Democrats are raising more money than Republicans and seem to like their available options. For Republicans, it's "none of the above." Clinton continues to lead Obama and Edwards, but among Giuliani, McCain, Romney and Thompson, there's no clear front-runner. What's happened to John McCain? Who is Fred Thompson? Is the Iraq war still the defining issue? What about immigration? Will the political center finally make the difference or has the electorate evolved into warring extremes? We look at the candidates in both parties.

Russia has expelled four British diplomats from Moscow just three days after the UK sent four Russians home. It's tit-for-tat over the poisoning death of a former Russian spy in London. Britain wants Russia to extradite Andrei Lugovoy to stand trial for the murder of Alexander Litvinenko but, today, Moscow upped the ante, saying it's now "impossible" to cooperate with Britain against terrorism. Michael Binyon covers foreign affairs for the Times of London.

Guests:Michael Binyon, Foreign Affairs Specialist for the Times of London